Long-term Foster Care Staff Visit Auburn Headquarters

May 03, 2017

Cayuga Centers staff members recently appointed to serve the agency’s newest NYC-based foster care program visited the agency’s Auburn headquarters for training and program development. Liliana Santizo serves as program manager, overseeing the work of clinician Veraluz De Leon, skills trainer Patrick Lindsey, and case managers Denise Sanchez and Sheila Arias.

The staff members will support the agency’s U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement contract to begin long-term foster care for unaccompanied youth who do not have sponsors but can’t be deported because their lives may be in danger in their home country. Many of these children fled dangers that include violence, gang warfare, sex trafficking, and forced labor. The contract is for up to 12 foster care beds. This program complements the agency’s short-term transitional foster care program for other youth who are cared for until united with a federally approved sponsor, within an average of 22 days. Program youth are placed with a highly trained Spanish-speaking foster family, and given medical and mental health care, tutoring and other supports needed to adjust to American culture.

While in Auburn, the staff members met with agency data analyst Amber McGetrick to discuss reports and take part in training on data collection for program reporting. The group toured agency headquarters to gain a greater understanding of the range of services provided by Cayuga Centers.